Architectural design studio MVRDV and upscale Belgian lighting brand Delta Light join forces to create a range of luminaries that are inspired by residual product – leftover aluminium. Called High Profile, the bold, colourful and conceptual collection had been recently unveiled at the 2022 Milan Design Week. Know more on SURFACES REPORTER (SR).
The title High Profile narrates the process of putting a thing in the spotlight which is often found backstage.
The title High Profile narrates the process of putting a thing in the spotlight which is often found backstage. Taking a critical look at the manufacturing process, the design of the High Profile series finds an opportunity and beauty in the element that is declared as discarded waste. In close collaboration with architects at MVRDV, Delta Light requested a design that would be bold, colourful and conceptual, in line with what MVRDV is renowned for.
The design of the High Profile series finds an opportunity and beauty in the element that is declared as discarded waste.
Led by Jacob van Rijs, the MVRDV team sketched their way to design the subtle difference between the way a luminaire is presented in a showroom and the less glamourous reality of how a luminaire is crafted and produced. Opting for a sustainable method for the design of the series had been the starting point for the team, where they tried working with recycled materials wherever possible. “The project started with the question of whether we could develop new possibilities with Delta Light’s waste material, instead of inventing a completely new product,” informs Jacob van Rijs, Founding Partner, MVRDV. They visited Delta Light’s showroom and factory that showed an interesting contrast between the lighting, which was presented amidst a great art collection in their showroom, and the factory where raw materials, components, cables, drivers, screws, caps, packaging, etc that goes into a luminaire – was visible. “In particular, the stacks of aluminium profiles in various shades of white, silver, black and gold proved to be a source of inspiration. The amazing details of these profiles are usually hidden inside the wall or ceiling; we wanted to make their beauty visible as the main feature of the new design,” he adds.
The collection is available in a cube-shaped pendant luminaire, an arch-shaped wall fixture and a freestanding model with profiles placed side by side.
For any architecture, profile light is the key aspect of its design. It is the offcuts that are often a residual product. This discarded waste turned out to be the starting point of the design. Delta Light’s range often varies in scale and size, and the High Profile series was created from this element. Available in cube-shaped pendant luminaire, an arch-shaped wall fixture and a freestanding model with profiles placed side by side, High Profile elucidates an industrial look that is softened in subtle hues of pink, ochre, light green and light blue among others. Additionally, the series has also added MVRDV’s well-known use of expressive colours to the usual white, black and gold assortment of Delta Light.
High Profile elucidates an industrial look that is softened in subtle hues of pink, ochre, light green and light blue among others.
Aimed to make the design more functional, MVRDV’s technology taskforce MVRDV NEXT developed a script Profile Remixer to generate possible compositions with all 50 types of profiles which can be evaluated with real-time data. The Profile Remixer helps the High Profile collection to make an allowance for the ongoing development and adjustment of the design, accommodating the changing availability of leftover profiles and changing demands for size, shape and composition.
Profile Remixer aims to generate possible compositions with all 50 types of profiles which can be evaluated with real-time data.
The hand-made High Profile collection questions the reusability of materials and sustainability throughout its manufacturing process. It highlights the use of residual aluminium, thereby avoiding the manufacturing, transportation and use of new aluminium parts. Thus, significantly reducing the environmental impact.
The hand-made High Profile collection questions the reusability of materials and sustainability throughout its manufacturing process.
Product details
Architect: MVRDV
Founding partner-in-charge: Jacob van Rijs
Partner: Fokke Moerel
Design team: Klaas Hofman, Boris Maas and Elien Deceuninck
Image credits: MVRDV